Game



Dec- 13, 196 T. ANDERSON 2,964,321

GAME

Filed Sept. 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 38 THORWALD ANDERSON ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1960 T. ANDERSON GAME v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept 16, 1957 INVENTOR THORWALD ANDERSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,964,321 GAME Thorwald Anderson, 2049 Quincy Ave., Racine, Wis. I Filed Sept. 16, 1951s". No. 684,169

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-.-95)

The invention appertains to games and apparatus there= for, and more particularly to a novel outdoor game known as trap ball.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide an outdoor game embodying some of the elements of baseball and some of the elements of bowling; in that, the ball is hit by'the batsman into a field occupied by fielders and returned to the pitcher or trapman, who in turn,

, tosses, rolls or bowls the ball toward a trap positioned in front of the batsman, the entering and trapping of the ball in the trap constituting an .out for the batsman.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide a novel combination trap and rest for the ball used in the game and a novel bat for lifting the ball from the rest on the trap and for striking the ball toward the field.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a novel trap for use in the game of trap bal embodying a cage having an open front normally closed by a swinging door, the arrangement being such that a ball striking the door is permitted to roll into the trap, but is prevented from outward movement of the trap, the cage body of the trap embodying spaced straps having portions arranged in a horizontal plane constituting a rest for the playing ball in one part of the game.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of a bat having formed on one side thereof and near its outer end a seat or pocket so that the bat can be moved between the horizontal portions of the straps of the trap for picking up the ball and moving the ball into the air, where the same can be struck with the bat by the batsman.

A still further important object of my invention is to provide an interesting outdoor game which can be played by both adults and children without undue strenuous exercise, but which will still afford a maximum amount of amusement and skill.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the playing field employed in the game with the trap in position, the position of the various players being shown by circles;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the novel bat utilized in the game;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the novel trap and ball rest used in the game;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the trap taken on the line 44 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view also showing a ball placed on the trap and being lifted by the bat from the rest;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the trap, portions of the view being shown broken away and in section to illustrate structural detail.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts through- 2,964,321 Ice Patented Dec. 13,1960

out the several views, the letter F generally indicates a playing. field and the letter T the novel trap utilized in the game and positioned at oneend of the field. The field includes diverging foul lines 10 and 11. These foul lines are joined at their outer ends by a connecting, limiting or foul line 12. Markers-13 are placedat the points of juncture of the foul lines 10 andv lliwith the limiting or outer foul line 12. The lines 10, 11 and 12 form a complete triangle and the triangle constitutes the complete playing field. The lines can be varied in length, but a desirable standard would. be feet from the juncture of the foul line 10 and 11 to the center point of the limiting line 12.

The game can be advantageously played by two five man-teams. The team at bat has its batsman, indicated by the reference character 14, stationed directly in rear of the trap T and this batsman utilizes a novel bat,indicated by the reference character B.

The team in the field preferably is arranged in the following manner: a trapman indicated bythe reference character 15 stands in front of the trap and about twenty feet from the trap between the foul lines ltland 11. Two fielders, indicated by the reference characters 16 and 17, stand near the foul lines 10' and 111 andabout thirty feet back of the trapman. Approximately-thirty feet back of the fielders 16 and 17 and located within the playing field itself, are two additional fielders, indicated by the reference characters 18 and 19.

Now referring more particularly to the trap T, see Figures 3, 4 and 5, the same is in the nature of a cage and is preferably, but not necesarily, formed from strap iron or metal bands. Thus, the same includes apair of spaced angle shaped bands or straps 20 and. 2 1 and these straps include horizontally disposed arm portions 22 and depending leg portions 23. The arms 22 constitute a rest for the playing ball 24, which will also appear. The lower ends of the legs 23 have secured thereto feet'25 which rest on the ground. These feet are apertured and where the game is being played on soft ground orgrass, spikes 26 are driven through the openings in the feet into the ground. The spikes are held against accidental displacement by the use of swinging angleshap'e'd latches 27. The latches are pivoted, as at 28, to the feet and can be swung over the heads of the spikes or away from the spikes to permit the desired withdrawal thereof. The front of the trap includes an upper inverted, substantially U-shaped band or strap 29 and this strap is firmly connected to the forward ends of the arms 22 of the straps 20 and 21. The lower terminals of the U-shaped strap 29 are connected by a bottom U-shaped strap 30 which rests on the ground. This strap can also be provided with openings 31 for receiving anchoring spikes 32. The body is completed by side straps 33 which are bolted, or otherwise secured, to the front inverted straps 29 and to the leg portions 23 of the straps 20 and 21. It is to be noted that the upper body straps 33 terminate at the leg portions 23 of the straps 20 and 21, so as to leave a clear space between the straps, for a purpose which wall also later appear.

Carried by the front of the trap is a swinging door 34. This door 34 is suspended by hinges 35 from the front U-shaped strap 29. The door is free to swing inward and outward movement thereof is prevented by a stop 36 secured to one side of the front frame member or U-shaped strap 29. The hinges 35 may consist of books and eyes carried respectively by the upper edge of the door and the front frame member 29. The door 34 stops short of the lower front frame member 30, and when the lower edge of the door 34 is struck with some force by a ball 24, the door will swing inwardly and allow the ball to roll into the trap. Outward movement of the ball from the trap is prevented by the door 34.

The bat B is similar to, but preferably slenderer than a baseball bat; however, the shaft 37 of the bat adjacent to its outer end has formed thereon a notch or seat 38. This seat is curved and the curvature corresponds to the circumference of the 'ball 24. The ball 24 is in the nature of a soft ball and has resilient qualities.

The game can be played under dilferent rules and conditions, but a preferred, simple standard set of rules can be as' follows: one team takes the field and'theother team is at bat. The first batsman stands in back of the trap T and this batsman bats the ball into the air and into the playing field. Any ball batted out of the field is foul and whether caught, or not caught, constitutes a strike. Each batsman is allowed four strikes. If a fly ball is caught by a fielder the same constitutes a strike. When a fair fly ball is caught by a fielder, the same is thrown from one fielder to the other and finally to the trapman 15. This trapman 15 then throws, rolls or bowls the ball underhand toward the trap and if the ball enters the trap and is trapped therein, with the door 34 lowered, this constitutes an out for the batsman. Thus the batsman can be put out in two different manners, namely, by four strikes as outlined above, and by a fielder catching a fly ball and throwing the same to the trapmanand the trapman then tossing the ball into the trap. Obviously, the trapman is only allowed one try at the trap. Ground balls do not count against the batsman and the batsman must hit a fly ball. When three men are called out the side is retired and then the sides change places. The game can be scored in different manners, but preferably in the following wayi one point is scored by the batsman if the trapman fails to roll the ball into the trap. Each time a player hits a fair, fly ball the same also counts. as one point for him. If on the second caught fly ball the trapman should again miss the trap, then the batsman earns two points. Any number of given points can constitute a game.

Another preferred manner of playing the game is as follows: teams do not compete, and six players participate in the game, namely, a batsman, a trapman and four fielders. In this type of game, when the batsman is finally put out, he must go into the field and gradually moves his way up from one position to another until he becomes trapman and then finally, batsmanagain.

The ball is struck by the batsman in a number of preferred manners, as follows: first the ball can be placed on the trap and supported between the bands 20 and 21. The batsman then moves his bat between the bands or straps 21 and 22 until the ball reaches the pocket 38 and the ball is tossed in the air' by the batsman, and as the ball descends, the batsman hits the ball. If desired, the batsman can bounce the ball on the ground and then strike the ball or the batsman can throw the ball into the air himself and then strike the ball, or he can hold the ball outward and then try to strike the ball upon the release thereof.

Obviously, various changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this in- V vention, but what I claim as new is:

1. A trap for use in a ball game comprising a cagelike body having an open front into which balls are adapted to be thrown, and the trap door carried by the upper end of the cage-like body and pivotally supported thereby said door depending from the body at the open front thereof and terminating short of the lower end of the body, and said body having a rest for a ballto be struck on the upper portion thereof and a slot for a bat below said rest.

2. A trap for use in a ball game comprising an open cage-like body including a pair of spaced parallel straps having horizontal portions defining a rest for a 'ball and a slot for receiving the forward end of a bat so that the bat can be moved under the rest into engagement with the ball, and a trap door at the front of the body depending from the upper end thereof and freely movable inward of the body and restrained from outward movement of the body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 430,388 Kinst June 17, 1890 838,257 Kinst Dec. 11, 1906 1,637,517 Bristow Aug. 2, 1927 1,930,477 Hosier Oct. 17, 1933 2,144,846 Kruspe Jan. 24, 1939 2,224,730 Hess Dec. 10, 1940 2,266,337 Seigenberg Dec. 16, 1941 2,417,615 Rothe Mar. 18, 1947 2,805,063 Butler Sept. 3, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 281,064 Great Britain Dec. 1, 1927 

